Threesome
by WhiteWisteria
Summary: It had always been a question of who would win the fair maiden's heart: Nogi Ruka, with his gentle and sweet courtship or Hyuuga Natsume with his all too subtle and prickly pursuit. RxMxN ONESHOT. To Typh and Shiori's Notebook.


A study on the complex relationship and love triangle of Ruka-Mikan-Natsume.

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**.:Threesome:.**

_To _**Typh **_and _**Shiori's Notebook**_: because I can't thank you guys enough._

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**three·some**

_-adjective:_

1. Consisting of three; threefold

2. Performed or played by three people

_-noun:_

1. Three forming a group

2. Something in which three people participate, as certain games

[Origin: 1325–75; ME _thresum._ See three -some2

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_'Who would win the fair maiden's heart?'_

_-_

_-_

_-  
_It was a conquest to win the fair lady's heart; Nogi Ruka with his gentle and sweet courtship and Hyuuga Natsume with his rather aggressive, unconventional and all-too-subtle pursuit of the lady.

It was a conquest that had continued on through years, with no clear victor in sight, simply because the lady in question did not know of her suitors' intentions.

It had started on the dawning of the first year in High school, on a clear, star-studded night on the rooftop of the middle branch dormitory.

Nogi Ruka together with the ever enigmatic Hyuuga Natsume, were lying in rather comfortable positions on the roof, enjoying the beautiful view and the peaceful silence night offered.

"I am not going to give her up, Natsume."

That single sentence, brought up with admirable courage, cut through the silence with the subtlety of a butcher knife. There wasn't any need for a mention of who the 'her' referred to. It was all too clear, for only one fitted the bill.

It had taken Ruka an entire week of consideration, for on the line was his long-lasting friendship with Natsume, as well as his deep feelings for Sakura Mikan.

Ruka thought he saw Natsume blink once, whether in surprise or something else, he would never know. But without turning his head to meet Ruka's gaze once, Natsume simply said once:

"I never said you had too."

And with that simple sentence, the conquest was set in motion.

--

It started with a bento lunch from Ruka and an invitation to eat together.

The bubbly brunette, who was mopping around because her best friend Hotaru had just turned down her offered to dine together down flatly due to project reasons, immediately brightened up and agreed happily.

Yet somehow, instead of the two-person lunch Ruka must have been imagining, it turned into a picnic under the old sakura tree with Natsume joining in.

A meaningful glance between the two boys was passed unnoticed by Mikan, who was busy admiring the beautiful lunch set from Ruka.

With a smirk from Natsume and a slightly disappointed smile from Ruka, the two boys took seats on the brunette's left and right respectively, nestling her comfortably between them.

From that day onwards, Sakura Mikan's name became top on the blacklist of the Hyuuga Natsume and Nogi Ruka Fanclub.

Lunch under the sakura tree between the trio became a ritual, with occasional presence of Hotaru and the odd scattering of the old class-B and even Youichi, who insisted his share of Mikan's lap whenever he visited. But always, Ruka, Mikan and Natsume would be there, with Mikan seated comfortably between the two bishounens.

Rumours spread like fire about the love triangle the three seemed to present, with the brunette blissfully unaware.

--

Then came the innocent boxes of Howalons seated on the edge of Mikan's window sill. They would come every night, these pink boxes filled with the equally pink and delectable candies she loved so much, with a white bow tied neatly on top. There was never a name indicated, from-whom mentioned, simply a box lying innocently in front of the open window she could never recall opening.

Whose work it was, she would never know, but always, she would leave a small wildflower as thanks on the window sill, which would be gone by the next night, and placed in steed would be another box.

Perhaps not all noticed, but it didn't escape Ruka's eyes that every so occasionally, when he thought no one was looking, Natsume would retrieve a wild flower from the pockets of his pants and simply look at it, a secret smile tugging at his lips.

--

Ruka, with his gentle ways, would always find ways to light Mikan's face up with a smile, whether it was a stuttered compliment or a small rabbit placed into her arms as a present.

Natsume believed that over-indulgence of compliments would lead to stupidity, hence, he would continue flipping up Mikan's skirts for the sake of it and giving her new nicknames when he felt like it.

However, it was always Natsume Mikan went to when she found herself stuck on a mathematical question, for raven-haired flame caster was surprisingly patient when explaining and drilling mathematical equations into her head.

--

Then the suitors came.

Not Natsume's, not Ruka's, but Mikan's.

The brunette had grown up to be quite a beauty, what with her generous heart and wide smile. And accordingly, the admirers added up.

Most kept their admiration to a distance, wary of the dangerous presence of the two males who seemed to keep guard over the brunette in their own ways. Some simply didn't want to be the recipient of Hyuuga Natsume's patented blood-red Death Glare, purported to kill on sight.

A foolish few who attempted to confess their love to the brunette without the presence of the two would always end up with mysterious ailments the next day; ailments like bee stings, boils due to siege from fire ants, or mental breakdowns which led them to mutter about a red eyed demon outside their windows.

Unknowingly to Mikan, in the process, she had become labelled as 'Property of Hyuuga Natsume and Nogi Ruka. Males and lesbians who trespassed shall be sent to hell via creative methods'.

--

Ruka took to walking with Mikan to the Special Ability classroom when ever they had ability-based classes. Natsume, not to be outdone, helped the girl to improve her alice through using his alice, though for most part, he was smirking his way through as she lost some of her fringe or when her skirt caught fire.

--

One day, Narumi-sensei walked into the classroom for his class and found the usually absent Ruka and Natsume seated sedately, with Mikan, who looked just a little uncomfortable due to death glares from certain fangirls, seated between the two.

--

Soon enough, the three's presence become a fixture in the Academy. Where one Sakura Mikan would go, Nogi Ruka and Hyuuga Natsume would sure to be there, or nearby at the least.

It remained the same way through High School. The interest in the love triangle grew to gigantic proportions; even bets made on who will finally win the fair maiden's heart (Instigators: Mochu and gang) with the bets leaning towards Natsume 3:1. Of course, there were the ones (namely Koko and Hotaru) who were certained that Sakura Mikan would never choose; because she was too dense to even realise she was being courted.

Every day, the two boys would escort Mikan to class, with Ruka and Mikan doing most of the talking and Natsume simply listening at the side, drawling out an answer when the brunette demanded on including him in.

Every night, the two boys would walk the brunette back to her room, simply a few doors down from theirs. Then, Ruka would lean in and kiss Mikan chastely on her right cheek, a good night kiss. Natsume would tilt her chin towards him and kiss her on her left cheek.

Mikan would then kiss Ruka back onto his cheek, blissfully unaware of the blush that would spread over the blond's fair skin. She would do the same for Natsume before disappearing into her room with a jaunty good night to the both.

--

The night of the Last Dance dawned.

Mechanical fireflies flirted around the place, offering light and a romantic feel to the whole place. Light music played through the hidden speakers located around the parade square; the finger foods offered were delicious. But most of the attention wasn't focused on the party.

Attention was on the carefree couple twirling in the midst of the dancers: Mikan, dressed in a cream coloured dress with billowing skirts, laughed as Ruka, handsomely decked out in white, twirled her to the music.

On the side, Hyuuga Natsume leaned against a pillar lazily, arms crossed over his broad chest. Decked inconspicuously in black from head to toe, a diamond glinting in his left ear, he was ignoring the girls crowded around him, his enigmatic crimson eyes fixed on the couple on the dance floor with admirable intent.

The gossip mongers started to speculate if _the _Hyuuga Natsume had finally been dumped by Sakura Mikan for Nogi Ruka. Glumly, Mochu started to hand over his losses over the bet to the happy winners who had betted on Ruka when Hotaru stopped them and pointed silently to the dance floor.

The music had winded down to an end, and twitters started as Natsume straightened up from his position and headed over to where Ruka and Mikan where. With a gallant kiss to Mikan's gloved hand, Ruka handed Mikan over to Natsume with a smile before walking to the side.

And so, it went on, with Natsume and Ruka alternating as dance partners for Mikan.

The by-standees simply wondered a simply question: Who would be dancing the last dance together?

Mochu let out an unbridled whoop of joy when he spotted Natsume dancing with Mikan as the strains of music started for the last dance, because he was genuinely happy for Natsume, _and_ because he had just won a decent amount of money for keeps.

A heartfelt 'Damn' slipped his lips a moment later because suddenly, Natsume had been replaced by Ruka. Kitsuneme, one of the few who had betted on Ruka, happily scooped the large amount of rabbits from Mochu's hands.

Suddenly, it was Natsume dancing with Mikan again, leaving Mochu to wonder if his eyesight was failing him.

Then Ruka.

Then Natsume.

Then Ruka.

As the money changed hands several times, the other couples dancing the last dance around the trio simply stopped and watched the love story unfolding.

Lost in their own world, the three continued their little dance, with the promise of eternity in their hearts, with Natsume exchanging the girl with Ruka at intervals.

It was their answer, their answer as to who had won the fair maiden's heart.

Both had.

--

(And Hotaru and Koko happily took their share of the money.)

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**Author's note: Erm, I am sorry for the quality. Please do tell me if you spot any mistakes :)**


End file.
